Toni Shiloh’s “Risking Love” is an inspirational novel about healing and leaning on God at all times.

Nikki is, at first glance, a beautiful young woman who enjoys her hostessing job at the local diner. However, on the inside she is plagued with debilitating fear and flashbacks. Ever since her rapist marred and damaged her, she keeps everyone at arm’s length. Self-preservation has become her daily goal and she would love to sleep through the night without a terrifying nightmare.

Since moving to Maple Run shortly after her traumatic experience, she and Shorty have been friends – only as close as Nikki will allow herself to be to any man. When Shorty first met Nikki, he knew he wanted to marry her. Nikki wishes she could forget her past and be the whole woman Shorty deserves. When she finally summons enough courage to tell him why she can’t date him, he bears the pain with her and shows her that God has always viewed her as His beloved creation.

Shorty and Nikki begin swapping Bible scriptures each day and even praying together. She finally feels ready to move forward with a meaningful relationship with Shorty. But there’s the nagging guilt that she has basically ignored her family for six years, because her attacker was a family friend. Will Nikki be able to forgive her family and stop seeing the attacker’s face in her brother’s? With God all things are possible – not easy, but possible.

I was amazed with this book. It was very meaningful and the characters were so real and likeable that it was a real page-turner. I greatly appreciated the emphasis on Scripture and a relationship with God. It was very moving to watch Nikki heal and see her painful process as she changed from surviving to thriving. Shorty is a fantastic example of a strong Christian man, and there was a particularly heartwarming and memorable scene in his carpenter’s shop where he showed Nikki how and why God cares for her. This is hands-down a worthwhile read!